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Sea Otter 2011: Rocky Mountain Element 29er

Rocky Mountain showed a prototype 29er cross-country full-suspension bike at this year's Sea Otter Classic. Come this fall, it'll be officially known as the Element 29

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Rocky Mountain will use press-fit bottom bracket cups on their new Element 29

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The press-fit bottom bracket shell allows for a wider and stiffer down tube plus more widely set main pivot bearings

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Rocky Mountain's Andreas Hestler says the internal cable routing configuration is one detail that still needs to be further refined

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The forged aluminum dropouts are heavily sculpted for stiffness and relieved on the backside to shave weight

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The 142x12mm through-axle rear end features a sturdy-looking derailleur hanger

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The tapered head tube offers up lots of surface area for the adjoining top tube and down tube

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The direct-mount front derailleur gave Rocky Mountain's frame designers more freedom in shaping the seat tube

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Rocky Mountain use their proven Smoothlink rear suspension design for the new Element 29

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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A sag guide is marked on the upper link for easier setup

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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The hydroformed seat tube is offset forward to help tuck in the rear wheel. Note the more classic angle in contrast to the StraightUp geometry of some of Rocky Mountain's longer-travel offerings

(James Huang/BikeRadar)

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Rocky Mountain still refer to this bike as a prototype but the hydroformed tubing and carbon fiber upper link suggest it's closer to a pre-production machine since all of the major tooling is clearly already completed

Rocky Mountain's 29in-wheeled aluminum full-suspension cross-country bike was officially still in prototype form at this year's Sea Otter Classic but come this fall, it'll officially be offered as the 2012 Element 29.

As we're noticing increasingly often on new chassis, Rocky Mountain have placed a strong emphasis on frame stiffness for the Element 29. The broad, squared-off down tube takes up nearly the entire height of the tapered head tube up front and terminates down below at an extra-wide, Shimano-standard, press-fit bottom bracket shell. That wide shell lets Rocky Mountain push the main pivot bearings further apart, too.

A swingarm-mounted front derailleur tracks the chain throughout the travel range for better shift performance and also loosens design constraints for the heavily sculpted seat tube, which is flared down below for additional drivetrain rigidity and offset forward at the bottom bracket to help tuck in the rear wheel. The top tube is notably large to keep torsional flex at bay for more precise handling, while the forged rear dropouts are set up around a 142x12mm RockShox Maxle through-axle to more solidly tie the stays together.

The direct-mount front derailleur gave rocky mountain's frame designers more freedom in shaping the seat tube: the direct-mount front derailleur gave rocky mountain's frame designers more freedom in shaping the seat tube

The direct-mount front derailleur gave Rocky Mountain's frame designers more freedom in shaping the seat tube

Front and rear derailleur cables are routed through the down tube for a cleaner look and better protection from contamination but factory team rider Andreas Hestler tells us the layout will be further refined by the time we see production versions later this year. Though the prototype was shown in raw brushed aluminum, Hestler says each of the three complete bikes to be offered will be covered in glossy paint.

Rocky mountain still refer to this bike as a prototype but the hydroformed tubing and carbon fiber upper link suggest it's closer to a pre-production machine since all of the major tooling is clearly already completed: rocky mountain still refer to this bike as a prototype but the hydroformed tubing and carbon fiber upper link suggest it's closer to a pre-production machine since all of the major tooling is clearly already completed

Rocky Mountain still refer to this bike as a prototype but the hydroformed tubing and carbon fiber upper link suggest it's closer to a pre-production machine since all of the major tooling is clearly already completed

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James started as a roadie in 1990 with his high school team but switched to dirt in 1994 and has enjoyed both ever since. Anything that comes through his hands is bound to be taken apart, and those hands still sometimes smell like fork oil even though he retired from shop life in 2007. He prefers manual over automatic, fizzy over still, and the right way over the easy way.

Discipline: Mountain, road, cyclocross

Preferred Terrain: Up in the Colorado high-country where the singletrack is still single, the dirt is still brown, and the aspens are in full bloom. Also, those perfect stretches of pavement where the road snakes across the mountainside like an artist's paintbrush.